Montdidier.
2. On the 27th it left and marched via Achery-Vendeuil-Jussy-Flavy le Meldeux, Freniches-Libermont-Solente-Gruny, reaching Framicourt on the 12th of April, and entered line the following day south of Cantigny (west of Montdidier). It was withdrawn on May 16.
3. The division had suffered casualties amounting to 30 per cent of its total effectives, and so when it was withdrawn, it moved to the region south of Roye to refit. Here each company received between 40 and 50 1919-class recruits, after which the division was trained. On June 12 it reinforced the front near Courcelles (south of Montdidier). It suffered heavy losses in the fighting that followed, and was withdrawn about the 22d.
Champagne.
4. During the night of June 28–29 the division relieved the 1st Bavarian Division astride the Souain-Sommey road. It seems to have been “leap-frogged” by the 2d Bavarian Division on the 15th—the opening day of the Champagne offensive—but it relieved the 2d Bavarian Division on the 19th. It was relieved by the 22d Division on August 10, and went to rest in the Lens area.
Cambrai.
5. On the 23d of September it left and moved to the Cambrai area, where it arrived the following day. On the 27th it reenforced the battle front south of Villers Guislain (south of Cambrai). It was pushed back steadily in the ensuing weeks, and was withdrawn about the 28th of October, southeast of Englefontaine (south of Quesnoy), and went to rest in Maubeuge.
VALUE—1918 ESTIMATE.
Until this year the 30th had always been considered a first-class division. During 1918, however, it was not used nearly so much as other shock units. The fact that, although it was in line only a fortnight after more than a month’s rest, it was not used in the attack of July 15 in Champagne, but was put back into line as soon as it was seen that the offensive there was a failure, is significant. It would seem that the German High Command considered it as only a second-class division.